Lucy Liu - hot new pan-Asian diner from Michael Lambie and co in the place where Philippe Mouchel's PM24 once stood (vale, that roast chicken). Think killer dumplings, tasty bao, Korean fried ribs and all the best bits of Asia in between. Read my piece for Broadsheet here.

Addict Food and Coffee, Fitzroy - sure, you could argue that Fitzroy needs another cafe like King Street needs another strip club, but this one's a keeper. Go for excellent Padre and Wide Open Road coffee as well as the potato hash with mushroom duxelles - it's a winner. Read my piece for Good Food Epicure here.

Slater Street Bench, South Yarra - "one man short of a boy band" the coffee-savvy team here is made up of fellas from Clement Coffee and Drugstore Espresso. It's a pint-sized brew bar doing just great coffee and a handful of pastries and sandwiches and winning lots of fans in what is otherwise a major deadzone for good coffee.